This watchdog blog, by journalist Norman Oder, offers analysis, commentary, and reportage about the $4.9 billion project to build the Barclays Center arena and 16 high-rise buildings at a crucial site in Brooklyn. Dubbed Atlantic Yards by developer Forest City Ratner in 2003, it was rebranded Pacific Park in 2014 after the Chinese government-owned Greenland Group bought a 70% stake in 15 towers. New York State still calls it Atlantic Yards. Contact: AtlanticYardsReport[at]hotmail.com

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Update Nov. 24, six days later: Empire State Development's Nicole Jordan wrote Wayne Bailey, who'd asked for accountability, a reply that conveyed apology without penalty: "Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. I was informed by Barclays that there was a miscommunication somewhere between the loading dock downstairs and staff at street level managing vehicle intake. Barclays recognizes that this condition is unacceptable and is working internally to eliminate congestion build up on the arena block."

Screenshot from video below

This is astounding. Earlier today, the intersection of Dean Street and Flatbush Avenue was congested when an 18-wheeler simply stopped in its tracks on Dean, waiting for the Barclays Center loading dock to become free.

The video below, shot by resident Wayne Bailey, lasts more than three minutes, but the situation was even longer.

And as shown in the video, cars and even a bicycle were waved onto the south sidewalk of Dean Street to pass the truck.

It's a reminder how little margin for error there is when the loading dock is placed on a narrow street, and that street is already constricted for construction of the B2 tower, and

As I reported in May 2013, the Barclays Center loading dock was described at a New York City Planning Commission hearing, in contrast with Madison Square Garden, as operating in a "seamless" way.

It wasn't true then, and it's still not true. The question is whether city and state officials will do anything about it.